Springfield Voters Urged to Reject $175M Convention Center Expansion

Critics argue the costly project is a risky gamble with taxpayer money and broken promises.

Apr. 2, 2026 at 7:10pm

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A serene, cinematic painting depicting the interior of an empty convention center lobby, with warm sunlight streaming in through large windows and deep shadows cast across the space, conveying a sense of quiet contemplation about the future of this public investment.The proposed $175 million expansion of Springfield's convention center raises concerns about the long-term financial burden on taxpayers.Springfield Today

Springfield voters are being asked to approve a 3% increase in the hotel tax to fund a $175 million expansion of the downtown Expo Center into a convention and events center. City officials are promising economic growth, new jobs, and a flood of out-of-town dollars, but critics argue it's a familiar government playbook of borrowing big, spending bigger, and leaving the next generation to deal with the consequences.

Why it matters

The proposed convention center expansion is a major public investment that could have significant long-term financial implications for Springfield. Critics argue the project is a risky gamble based on flawed feasibility studies and the poor track record of similar facilities in the region.

The details

The Springfield Expo Center was completed in 2002 at a cost of $19.3 million, financed through a bond issuance. However, the city's own data shows the facility has had minimal tourism impact, with most attendees traveling from within a 25-mile radius and hosting an average of only 11 events per year. Now the city wants to spend $175 million on a major expansion, but critics argue this is doubling down on failure. They also warn that the city will be saddled with maintaining the facility after the 35-year tax sunsets, leaving the next generation to figure out how to pay for it.

  • The Springfield Expo Center was completed in 2002.
  • Between 2019 and 2024, the Expo Center hosted an average of 11 events per year.
  • Springfield voters are being asked to approve the $175 million convention center expansion on April 7, 2026.

The players

Chris Lebeck

A University Heights resident and former member of the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission.

Hunden Partners

A Chicago-based consulting firm hired four times since 2011 to study the convention center expansion proposal and reach the same conclusion to build bigger.

Heywood Sanders

One of the nation's foremost experts on publicly funded convention centers, who has examined the actual performance of facilities that Springfield's consultant cites as competitive peers.

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What they’re saying

“If a project made genuine economic sense, private investors would fund it. The private sector builds hotels, housing, aquariums, stadiums, and shopping centers because those investments generate returns. Convention centers require public subsidy because they don't.”

— Chris Lebeck, University Heights resident and former member of the Springfield Planning and Zoning Commission

“The Overland Park Convention Center was projected to generate 74,100 room nights annually by 2011. By 2009, it was generating about 38,000. By 2018, that figure had fallen to 23,300, and the 2024 figure was 28,862. That's less than 40% of what was promised.”

— Heywood Sanders, Expert on publicly funded convention centers

What’s next

The Springfield City Council will hold a vote on the proposed $175 million convention center expansion on April 7, 2026. If approved by voters, the project would move forward to the design and construction phase.

The takeaway

This case highlights the risks of public investment in convention centers, which often fail to deliver on economic promises and leave taxpayers on the hook for long-term maintenance and debt. Springfield voters should carefully consider the track record of similar facilities in the region before approving this costly gamble.